Thousands flocked to the mountains on Sunday to attend the Let’s Go Troodos 3 event at the presidential residence of Troodos, which for the third consecutive year opened its doors, in a celebration that highlighted the local creation, products, flavours and traditions of mountainous Cyprus.

During the event, visitors had the opportunity to tour the premises of the presidential residence of Troodos, a building of special historical and symbolic importance.

The residence was constructed between 1879 and 1880 by the first High Commissioner of Cyprus, Sir Garnet Wolseley, and was originally designed as the summer headquarters of the British High Commissioner.

Gradually, the Residence evolved into an administrative center, as during the summer months almost the entire government machine was transported to Troodos to escape the high temperatures.

Education Minister Athena Michaelidou taking part in one of the workshops

The event was accompanied by a rich program of experiential workshops, through which the public could get to know traditional arts, techniques and flavours of Cyprus.

Among other things, workshops were held on palouze, weaving and loom, traditional cooking, silk, mosaic making, perfume making and traditional music.

The programme was complemented by live music and tsiattista by folk poets, creating an authentic setting of Cypriot feasting and highlighting the culture and traditions of the place in a live way.

Referring to the institution of “Pame Troodos”, the First Lady explained that the initiative started from the vision “to open the emblematic buildings of Cyprus, to be accessible to the public, to be used for entertainment, but mainly for education, for culture and for the cultivation of an environmental culture”.

First Lady Philippa Karsera Christodoulides said the event reflected the will of the Christodoulidis government to upgrade the countryside and strengthen the number of visitors to the villages and festivals of Cyprus.

President Nikos Christodoulides at the event

“We want Cypriot, traditional flavours to become even more known. We want the new generation of our country to get to know them. And of course we also want Cypriot craftsmen to have opportunities to promote and introduce their products to the general public,” said deputy tourism minister Costas Koumis.

The aim of the government is to revitalise mountain communities, added Mountains Commissioner Charalambos Christofinas, underlining the importance of these actions to support producers, the primary sector and people living and working in mountain areas.

The event had a strong social character this year as well, as part of the proceeds were given to the Eleousa Nursing Home in Agros.